Method and apparatus for processing multi-touch input at touch screen terminal

• US 10,429,969 B2
• Filed: 04/06/2015
• Issued: 10/01/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 02/10/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Kwon, Won-Seok, Park, Jin
• Primary Examiner(s): Weber, Joy M
• Application Number:
  US14/679,664
• Publication Number:
  US 20150212637A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04104 Multi-touch detection in digitiser, i.e. details about the simultaneous detection of a plurality of touching locations, e.g. multiple fingers or pen and finger
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0412 Digitisers structurally integrated in a display
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0485 Scrolling or panning
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text

Abstract

Methods, apparatuses, and systems for processing multi-touch input in a multi-tasking terminal with a touch screen are described. In one method herein, an electronic apparatus displays a first application program on its touch screen while both the first application program and a second application program are being multitasked, detects a flicking of four or more fingers in the displayed first application program on the touch screen; and, in response to detecting of the flicking of four or more fingers, switches the touch screen from the display of the first application program to a display of the second application program.

Claims

1. A method for a touch screen on a multi-tasking device, the method comprising:

determining a number of fingers in a flicking of one or more fingers in a currently-displayed application program on the touch screen;

if the determined number of fingers in the flicking is five and a not-currently-displayed application program exists, switching the touch screen from the currently-displayed application program to the not-currently-displayed application program; and

if the determined number of fingers in the flicking is five and the not-currently-displayed application program does not exist;

if scrolling is possible, scrolling content shown in the currently-displayed application program in a direction of movement of the flicking; and

if scrolling is not possible, performing no action.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the flicking of one or more fingers in the currently-displayed application program comprises at least one of a swipe and a drag.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

if the determined number of fingers in the detected flicking is one, scrolling content shown in the currently-displayed application program in a direction of movement of the one touch flicking.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

if the determined number of fingers in the detected flicking is two, switching from a currently-displayed sub-window of the currently-displayed application program to a not-currently-displayed sub-window of the currently-displayed application program.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein at least one of the sub-windows comprises a tab-window.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

if the determined number of fingers in the flicking is two;

if scrolling is possible, scrolling content shown in the currently-displayed application program in a direction of movement of the flicking; and

if scrolling is not possible, performing no action.

7. An apparatus, comprising:

a touch screen; and

a controller which;

determines a number of fingers in a flicking of one or more fingers in a currently-displayed application program on the touch screen,

if the determined number of fingers in the flicking is five and a not-currently-displayed application program exists, controls the touch screen to switch from the currently-displayed application program to a not-currently-displayed application program, and

if the determined number of fingers in the flicking is five and the not-currently-displayed application program does not exist;

if scrolling is possible, controls the touch screen to scroll content shown in the currently-displayed application program in a direction of movement of the flicking; and

if scrolling is not possible, performs no action.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the flicking of one or more fingers in the currently-displayed application program comprises at least one of a swipe and a drag.

9. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein, if the determined number of fingers in the detected flicking is one, the controller controls the touch screen to scroll content shown in the currently-displayed application program in a direction of movement of the one touch flicking.

10. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein, if the determined number of fingers in the detected flicking is two, the controller controls the touch screen to switch from a currently-displayed sub-window of the currently-displayed application program to a not-currently-displayed sub-window of the currently-displayed application program.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein at least one of the sub-windows comprises a tab-window.

12. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein, if the determined number of fingers in the flicking is two, the controller:

if scrolling is possible, controls the touch screen to scroll content shown in the currently-displayed application program in a direction of movement of the flicking; and

if scrolling is not possible, performs no action.

13. A method for a touch screen, the method comprising:

displaying a first application program on the touch screen;

determining a number of fingers in a flicking of one or more fingers in the displayed first application program on the touch screen; and

if the determined number of fingers in the flicking is five;

determining whether a second application program is running;

if it is determined that a second application program is running, switching from the first application program to the second application program; and

if it is determined that the second application program is not running;

if scrolling is possible, scrolling content shown in the currently-displayed first application program in a direction of movement of the flicking; and

if scrolling is not possible, performing no action.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the flicking of one or more fingers in the displayed window of the first application program on the touch screen comprises at least one of a swipe and a drag.

15. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

if the determined number of fingers in the detected flicking is one, scrolling content shown in the displayed first application program in a direction of movement of the one touch flicking; and

if the determined number of fingers in the detected flicking is two, switching from a currently-displayed sub-window of the displayed first application program to a not-currently-displayed sub-window of the displayed first application program.

16. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

if the determined number of fingers in the flicking is two;

if scrolling is possible, scrolling content shown in the currently-displayed application program in a direction of movement of the flicking; and

if scrolling is not possible, performing no action.

17. The method of claim 13, further comprising, if the determined number of fingers in the flicking is four:

if it is determined that a second application is not running, performing a default action, wherein the default action comprises at least one of scrolling content in the displayed first application program, switching from a currently-displayed sub-window of the first application program to a not-currently-displayed sub-window of the first application program, and performing no action.

18. An apparatus, comprising:

a touch screen; and

a controller which;

controls the touch screen to display a first application program when the first application program is presently running on the apparatus;

determines a number of fingers in a flicking of one or more fingers in the displayed first application program;

if the determined number of fingers in the flicking is five, determines whether a second application program is running;

if the determined number of fingers is five and it is determined that a second application program is running, controls the touch screen to switch from the displayed first application program to the second application program; and

if the determined number of fingers is five and it is determined that the second application program is not running;

if scrolling is possible, controls the touch screen to scroll content shown in the currently-displayed first application program in a direction of movement of the flicking; and

if scrolling is not possible, performs no action.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the flicking of one or more fingers in the displayed window of the first application program on the touch screen comprises at least one of a swipe and a drag.

20. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the controller, if the determined number of fingers in the flicking is one, controls the touch screen to scroll content shown in the displayed first application program in a direction of movement of the flicking;

and

wherein the controller, if the determined number of fingers in the flicking is two, controls the touch screen to switch from a currently-displayed sub-window of the displayed first application to a not-currently-displayed sub-window of the first application.

21. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein, if the determined number of fingers is two, the controller:

if scrolling is possible, controls the touch screen to scroll content shown in the currently-displayed first application program in a direction of movement of the flicking; and

if scrolling is not possible, performs no action.

22. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the controller, if the determined number of fingers in the flicking is four and it is determined that a second application is not running, performs a default action, wherein the default action comprises at least one of scrolling content in the displayed first application program, switching from a currently-displayed sub-window of the first application program to a not-currently-displayed sub-window of the first application program, and performing no action.

23. A non-transitory machine-readable medium storing code which, when executed by one or more processors of an apparatus including a touch screen, implements the performance of a method comprising:

displaying a first application program on the touch screen;

determining a number of fingers in a flicking of one or more fingers in the displayed first application program on the touch screen; and

if the determined number of fingers in the flicking is five;

determining whether a second application program is running;

if it is determined that a second application program is running, switching from the first application program to the second application program; and

if it is determined that the second application program is not running;

if scrolling is possible, scrolling content shown in the currently-displayed first application program in a direction of movement of the flicking; and

if scrolling is not possible, performing no action.

24. A method performed by an electronic apparatus having a touch screen, the method comprising:

displaying a first application program on the touch screen;

detecting a flicking of fingers in the displayed first application program on the touch screen while both the first application program and a second application program are being multitasked;

if a number of fingers in the flicking is five, switching a display of the first application program to a display of the second application program on the touch screen; and

if the determined number of fingers in the flicking is two;

if scrolling is possible, scrolling content shown in the currently-displayed first application program in a direction of movement of the flicking; and

if scrolling is not possible, performing no action.